The proposed settlement will give the utility an additional $30.7 million a year and raise residential customer bills $3 a month. The Kansas Corporation Commission still must approve the settlement.

The Citizens’ Utility Ratepayer Board says the settlement drops a proposal by Westar to shift about $50 million of cost from its large industrial and commercial customers to residential and small-business ratepayers.

The Wichita Eagle reports (http://bit.ly/14CHWzb ) Westar applied for the rate increase mostly to pay for required environmental upgrades at its La Cygne power plant in eastern Kansas.